Grain-drill



l (No Model.) 2 Sheets--SheeiJ 1.

W. W. 8v P. M. MULLEN.

GRAIN DRILL.

No. 411,528. Patented Sept. 24, 18819.

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(No Model.) l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. W.- 88E. IVI. MULLEN.

GRAIN DRILL.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

IVINFIELD IV. MULLEN AND FRANCIS M. MULLEN, OF BUNKER HILL, INDIANA.

GRAIN-DRI LL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,528, datedSeptember 24, 1889.

Application filed March 14, 1889. Serial No. 303,281. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that we, WINFIELD W. MULLEN and FRANCIS M. MULLEN, citizensof the United States, residing at Bunker Hill, in the county of Miamiand State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Ilnprovementsin Grain-Drills, of which the following is a specification.

Our said invention consists in various improvements in the details ofconstruction of grain-drills, by which the drill is rendered more simpleand durable in construction and more perfect in operation and result, aswill be hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof,and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figurel is a perspective view of. a grain-drill embodying our improvements andillustrating the particular form of drill -to which they are especiallyadapted; Fig. 2, a top or plan view of the same, the hopper and itssupporting-braces being omitted; Fig. 3, a'

longitudinal vertical section on the dotted line 3 3 in Fig. 2, and Fig.a a detail section 0n the dotted line 5 5 in Fig. 2.

In said drawings, the portion marked A represents the frame-Work; B, thehopper 5 C, the seedcups on the bottom of said hopper; D, thefeed-rolls; E, the main driving-shaft, and F the cut-off orfeed-regulator.

The frameA is in most particulars of a common construction, consistingof a V-shaped frame-work arranged in a suitable manner to support thevarious mechanism. It is provided with spring-mounted side wings A, as

in our patent of January 4,1887, No. 355,462,

except that the hinges a., by which they are connected to the mainframe, are of a novel construction, consisting of substantiallysemicircular or U-shaped bars bolted securely at each end to the sidepieces of the main frame and having a pivot-bolt a near their frontportion, to which the front ends of said side wings are connected. A rowof perforations a2 are formed in the edge of the portion farthest fromthe main frame, and a stop-pin a3 is provided in each hinge to be placedtherein and secure said wing in the position desired. Thus when it isdesired that said wings shall be secured near to the main frame said pinis inserted in the hole near the rear portion of the hinge farthest fromthe pivot-bolt, and when it is desired that they shall occupy a positionfarther from the main frame said pin is moved forward toward the pivotand inserted in the perforation, where it will secure the wings in theposition desired, the springs at operating to throw said wings out andhold them against the` stop-pin. Said frame is provided on its underside near its rear end with the drill-teeth A2, one being shown securedon each win g and three on the main frame, as in our patent abovereferred to. Said teeth are secured in position by a pivot a5, which isinserted through a perforation in a rearwardly-projecting ear a6, anddownwardly-hanging-lips at?, formed on the rear portion of the plate A3,between which said ear is inserted, one of said plates A3 being securedaround each perforation in the frame provided for the drill-teethconnections. On the front side of each tooth, at or near its top, isformed a finger as with a downwardlyhooked outer end, which extendsbetween downwardly-hanging lips a9 on the frontend of the plate A3, andengages with the eye of an eyebolt am, which extends up through theframe, and is surrounded by a spring all, interposed between its headand the top of the frame, or, preferably, the bottom of a socket formedin the top side of said frame for the purpose, as shown most plainly inFig. 3. Said spring is only of sufficient elasticity to permit the toothto bend back when it comes in contact with a stone or other matter toohard for it to pass through, thus preventing it from becoming broken,and then returning it immediately to operative position withoutretarding or interrupting the progress of the Work. The main supportingand driving wheel A4 is journaled by means of its shaft in suitablebearings on the' front of the frame, and is formed with a mitergear-wheel C412 on one side of its hub for connecting with thedriving-shaft. The rim of this wheel is provided with a V-shaped outerface, as shown, experiment and use having proven that this form isbetter adapted to clear itself from earth and other matter that mightadhere thereto and afford more power for driving the mechanism.

The hopper B is supported on the frame by standard-braces b of asuitable form to connect therewith. It is preferably of the form shown,contracting longitudinally from bottom to top and expanding laterallyfrom bottom to top, this form being very suitable, as it secures therequired length on the bottom, but throws the weight of the load of seedwhich it carries into a position where it will least interfere with theeasy and convenient handling of the machine by the operator. Suitableapertures b are formed in its bottom to permit the seed to fall into theseed-cu ps, as is usual. l

The seed-cups C 'are secured on the bottom of the hopper beneath theapertures b', each being formed with a short c'lischarge-spout 'on itsrear side, which is 'connected with the appropriate drill-tooth `by aconnectinglspout C, the lower end of which is inserted in the per'-foration in the frame provided for thepurpose, except those running tothe wings,

which are of a telescopic construction, as in our patent beforementioned, and are con neoted to ak'nuckle c, inserted in the frame todischarge into the drill-teeth, as shown.

The feedrollsDare mounted on the shaft D', Which extends through eachseed-cup, one roll being mounted thereon in each cup, extendingtransversely thereof. They are formed with 'diagonal corrugations intheir peripheri'es, and operate to feed the seed from the cup into thedischarge-spout on its rear side, as will be readily understood.

The driving-shaft E is journaled in suit-3 able bearing e on the hopperand in another on the frame near its front end. It is provided With amiter gear-wheel e on its front end, arranged to mesh with thegear-wheel am on the hub of the main drivingewheel, and a similar Wheelc2 on its rear end, arranged to mesh with a miter gear-wheel d on theshaft d. `Said gearswheel c2 is mounted -on the shaftE by means of aspline, and is held into engagement with the wheel e2 by a linger b2,extending vdown in front of it from the bottom of the hopper. Said shaftE is thus allowed to be shifted by the lever E on the front of thehopperto throw the wheel c2 into and out of engagement with the driving-Wheel. projecting forward from the bearing e and Works in a guide b3 onthe front side of the hopper, a projection on its side bein-g arrangedto engage with notches in said guide and secure the lever in thedifferent positions.

The cutoif or feed-regulator F consists of a straight bar mounted innotches formed in Said lever E is pivoted between ears the top oftheseed-'cups and arranged to slide transversely thereof, and provided withthe forwardly and downwardly projecting fingers f, which are the widthof said seed-cups and extend forward to their front Walls. One of thesecut-off fingers is arranged in each cup and slides in and out thereofthrough a suitable slot formed in its side. For a short portion of itslength the bar F is formed as a rack on its rear edge, and asemicircular pinion F is pivoted to a plate F2, secured to the edge ofthe hopper and extending vout therefrom. Said pinion F is provided witha lever-handle f', extending back to a convenient position lto bereached, and said plate F2 is formed with a curved slot near its edge,through which a set-screw f2 extends into a screw-threaded perforationin 'said handle f for securing in any position desired. Thus the bar F,carrying the cut-off fingers, can be moved to and secured in exactly theposition desired by simply moving this handle, which, through therack-and-pinion connection, operate'sfsaid bar to secure the desiredfeed, when itis fsecured in this position by the set-screw, asdescribed. The rear edge of this plate F2 is also provided with a 'rowvof notches or indicator-marks on its edge and another row on its topface near its edge, as shown, and an indicator-finger f3 is formed onthe top of the handle f immediately behind said edge. The purpose ofthis arrangement is to indicate the amount of seed being drilled to theacre. The notches kon Ythe edge are preferably7 formed to indicatepecksv and those Von the top half'- pecks. Thus when it is desired thatthe amount of seed being fed shall be increased or diminished the handleis moved in the proper direction, sothat its indicator-linger shall passthe number of notches vnecessary to measure the quantity desired, and isthere secured by the set-screw. A

The operation of our said invention is not peculiar, except in thematter of the improved details particularly described, both as toconstruction and operation, and therefore any further description of theoperation is not deemed necessary, it being in gen eral of a wellknowncharacter. v Having thus fully described our said invention, what weclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- y y l. In agrain-drill, the combination 'of the frame, the hopper, the seed-cups,thevfeedrolls, the driving mechanism, the cut-orf, and feed-regulator F,formed with a rack 'on its rear edge, the segmental pinion F,pi`voted tothe plate F2 on the lower edge of the hopper and formed with the handlef', and the setsc'rew f2, extending through a curved slot in the plateF2 into a screw-threaded perfora= tion in said handle, substantially asdescribed, and for the purpose specified. y

2. The combination, in a graindrill,with the feed mechanism,substantially as described, of the cutfoff and feed-regulator F, handsand seals, at Bunker Hill, Indiana, this having a rack on its rear edge,the pivoted 9th day of March, A. D. 1889.

segmental pinion F', engaging therewith, and t Y provided with theindicator f3, formed on the 5 top side thereof, and a part in front ofsaid J indicator having an indicator-gage thereon, Witnesses:

substantially as set forth. A. F. MARTIN,

In Witness whereof We have hereunto set our GEO. W. BLUE.

